Not on display

Yosooi of the Matsubaya house with attendants Wakana and Tomeki

Woodblock Print
ca. 1831
Artist/Maker
Utagawa Kunisada (artist)
Place of origin
Japan

Images known as ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) were immensely popular during the Edo period (1615–1868). Produced in very large numbers, they reflected a world that celebrated hedonism, consumerism and living for the moment. Depictions of beautiful women abounded, especially the glamorous and trend-setting courtesans of Japan’s major cities.

Object details

Categories
Fashion
Prints
Object type
Woodblock print
TitleYosooi of the Matsubaya house with attendants Wakana and Tomeki (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Paper
Ink
Colourant
Woodblock Print
Brief description
Woodblock print, 'Yosooi of the Matsubaya house with attendants Wakana and Tomeki' by Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864), Japan, c. 1831.
Physical description
Colour woodblock print on paper, aizuri-e (blue colour print)
Dimensions
  • Height: 35.6cm (Note: From Prints and Drawings Accession Register )
  • Width: 9.625in
  • Width: 24.0cm (Note: From Prints and Drawings Accession Register )
Gallery label
(20/07/2015)
Images known as ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) were immensely popular during the Edo period (1615–1868). Produced in very large numbers, they reflected a world that celebrated hedonism, consumerism and living for the moment. Depictions of beautiful women abounded, especially the glamorous and trend-setting courtesans of Japan’s major cities. These five prints by leading artists show some of the variations in hair-style and kimono design of the time.
Object history
Purchased from Mssrs Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge, sale 3 December 1909, lot 127, accessioned 1909. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers.
Summary
Images known as ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) were immensely popular during the Edo period (1615–1868). Produced in very large numbers, they reflected a world that celebrated hedonism, consumerism and living for the moment. Depictions of beautiful women abounded, especially the glamorous and trend-setting courtesans of Japan’s major cities.
Associated objects
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
E.4313-1909

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O422638/yosooi-of-the-matsubaya-house-woodblock-print-utagawa-kunisada/
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